President s Report to the Board of Trustees Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud Skyline College Students at the Fireside Dining Room Photo Credit Knarl Stuart
Online Catalog, A New Tool for Students, Faculty & Staff BÉCALOS Program by the Global Learning Program and Services Division The 2014-2015 Catalog is currently available online in pdf format and a limited number of hard copies will be arriving on campus Monday, July 28, 2014. The number of printed catalogs has been significantly reduced this year in an effort to be more sustainable, create less waste and utilize our website more effectively. Through the Campus Climate Survey recently conducted by the Office of Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness, we found that over 46% of students are already accessing the pdf catalog online. In addition to the pdf available online, the Web team in the Marketing, Communications and Public Relations Office is busy building an online catalog website which will be more user-friendly than a pdf with a clickable table of contents, search capabilities and more! This new tool will aid students, faculty and staff in quickly and efficiently being able to reference the information contained in the catalog throughout the year. Article by Cherie Colin. Photo by Raul Guerra. Skyline College will host 75 students at our campus this August through the BÉCALOS Program, an initiative that provides need-and-merit based scholarships to Mexican students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs at the Universidades Technológicas BilingÜes (Bilingual Technological Universities). The program, which is funded by Fundación Televisa and co-sponsored by the Association of Banks of Mexico, awards Mexican students the opportunity to study at US Community Colleges to improve their English skills in core study areas and to enhance intercultural competence. The BÉCALOS Program is leveraging the resources of the Center for International Trade Development (CITD) to ramp up the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at Skyline College. This unique study abroad program was initially sparked as a result of a CITD-coordinated visit from Mexico s Consul General in March 2014 and will help to further expose Skyline College to partnerships with the international educational community. The BÉCALOS Program provides a clear opportunity to bring international diversity to Skyline College s campus and the local community and represents a stepping stone from which Skyline College hopes to launch similar programs with educational institutions around the globe. BÉCALOS students are chosen because of their commitment to academic excellence. Students typically come from low income backgrounds in rural areas of Mexico, and all of them are currently enrolled in STEM programs, have a basic working knowledge of English, and are between the ages of 18 and 34. For many, this will be their first trip abroad, and some of the students will be hosted by Skyline College students and other community members for the duration of the Fall semester. Additionally, BÉCALOS students will have access to mentors who will host students for occasional dinners or activities and will serve as a source of local information about the community. Article by Connor Fitzpatrick. Photo by BÉCALOS Program.
MCPR (Marketing, Communications and Public Relations) Wins Two Awards generate revenue for the SMCCCD Foundation Study Abroad Scholarship Fund-enabling the district to support our students on international academic study abroad. This year, Dr. Gary Fleener will be guiding the Machu Picchu trip from October 31 st to November 9 th, 2014. Dr. Fleener has nearly 20 years of experience designing and leading international study programs. As a geographer, Dr. Fleener focuses on the intersection of culture and landscape in mountain regions. To date he has guided the learning adventures of more than 200 students and adult travelers in the Peruvian Andes. He is currently the Project Director for the SMCCCD Office of Education Abroad. On April 10, 2014 Skyline College MCPR attended the CCPRO (Community College Public Relations Organization) Annual Conference in Santa Cruz. Skyline College won First place for the College Annual Report award category for the second year in a row and won Second place for the TV PSA (Public Service Advertising) or Ad award category among the 32 PRO categories. The PRO (Public Relations Organization) awards recognize outstanding work by California s community college marketing and public relations professionals. The statewide Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO) is a professional development and service organization that seeks to promote excellence in California s community college public relations and related professions. The organization serves as a central resource of information and provides counsel and assistance relating to the advancement of community colleges statewide and the professional growth of its members. Article by Claudia Paz. Photo by Raul Guerra. SMCCCD Community Travel Programs Machu Picchu The SMCCCD (San Mateo County Community College District) Travel Programs are non-credit educational adventures for discerning Bay Area travelers. Each program is handcrafted to combine authentic travel experiences with outstanding Bay Area educators. Community Travel Programs also Machu Picchu is one of the world s most important archaeological sites; Machu Picchu is both a technological marvel and a place of great mystery. Built in the 16th Century by Incan royalty, Machu Picchu escaped the ravages of the Spanish conquistadors to be uncovered and popularized in 1911 by American explorer Hiram Bingham. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perhaps one of the most iconic destinations in the world, Machu Picchu continues to inspire wonder in the hearts and minds of visitors from around the world. Article and photos submitted by Dr. Gary Fleener. Opening Day To kick off the 2014-2015 Academic Year, Skyline College will host Opening Day to welcome all faculty and staff on Friday, August 15, 2014 in the theater, the Friday before Fall classes begin. This is a chance for the campus community to come together and re-energize for another year of focusing on students-first and helping them to achieve their academic goals.
Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, President of Skyline College will set the tone for the year with the theme of Delivering on our Promise. 2nd Annual Success Summit 2014 The annual Skyline Shines winners from both the community and the college will be announced and awarded, as is tradition at Opening Day. This year, we are fortunate to welcome and honor 40 faculty and staff to the Skyline College community who are either new to the college or have been promoted or reassigned to new positions. Here s to a year filled with student success! Article by Cherie Colin. Photo by Raul Guerra. Upcoming Events X-Treme Saturday August 9, 2014 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Building 6 Skyline College The 2nd Annual Success Summit is a half-day forum designed to bring together business and civic leaders from all sectors to discuss innovative strategies for solving tough issues that affect San Mateo County businesses and residents. In dynamic breakout sessions, participants will meet face-to-face with key decision makers within the county, including elected officials, business and industry leaders, employers and educators and gain insight on how they can effectively work to shape the future of their community and their business. Breakout topics include: The Socio Economic Divide: What s in it for us? City Manager Roundtable: Innovations for our cities. TBA Breakout sessions will offer knowledge on topics of importance to the region through an overview of current trends and activities presented by a panel of experts, a moderated question and answer session, and the opportunity for attendees to add their voice to the conversation contributing their perspectives, sharing solutions and providing their choices for shaping forward movement and successful outcomes. The 2nd Annual Success Summit is presented by the President s Council of Skyline College. The conference will be held in the Student and Community Center, Building 6, 2nd Floor on the Skyline College campus on Friday, September 26, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. The Early Bird registration fee of $59 is available until August 15, 2014. As of August 16 th, the registration fee will be $75. Breakfast and materials are included in the conference fee. Visit the Success Summit website at www.skylinesuccesssummit.com to register today.
Student Life and SALSA (Skyline Advocates for Latino Students in Academia) Latino Heritage Month Events The Student Life and SALSA (Skyline Advocates for Latino Students in Academia) are planning a series of campus wide events in October and November for Latino Heritage Month. The following is a tentative schedule of events: September 16 th : Latino Heritage Month Kickoff September 18 th : Latino Field Trip to Google September 25 th : Career Lecture: Latino Artist October 2 nd : International Day of Nonviolence October 7 th : Career Series: Undocumented Students October 8 th : Tres Vidas: Core Ensemble, Workshops and Performance October 9 th : Latino Variety Show in Theater October 24 th : Tattoo Nation: Film Screening and Q&R October 27 th to November 7 th : Día de los Muertos Exhibit in the Art Gallery. October 29 th : Día de los Muertos Community Fair